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Here Come the Littles (1985) movie poster

Plot Summary

Here Come the Littles (1985) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
1985 · 77 mins · English
Directed by
Bernard Deyriès
Starring
Alvy Moore, Hal Smith, Gregg Berger, Mona Marshall, Robert David Hall, Bettina Bush

After his parents vanish in Africa, Henry stays with his cruel Uncle Augustus, who intends to tear down the family home for a shopping center. In the walls live the Littles, tiny elf‑like beings. Grandpa Little cares for Tom and Lucy, whose kindness wins over a hostile cat. Together they expose Augustus’s plot, leading to his arrest and the house’s salvation.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Here Come the Littles
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Here Come the Littles (1985)

Where can you watch Here Come the Littles? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Here Come the Littles: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Here Come the Littles (1985) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Henry Bigg [Jimmy Keegan] learns that his parents have been lost during an archaeological trip to Africa, though the remains of their aircraft have been found. His housekeeper, Mrs. Evans [Mona Marshall], explains that Augustus is his legal guardian. The reveal sets Henry on edge, but the home itself hides a far smaller drama—two tiny people living inside the walls.

Inside Henry's house, Tom Little [Donavan Freberg] and Lucy Little [Bettina Bush] move with quiet purpose. They snatch an apple that Mrs. Evans had left for Henry, and the gesture earns them a surprising repayment: they locate his lucky rabbit's foot and tuck it into his suitcase. A misstep of fate carries them to Augustus' residence, trapped inside Henry’s luggage, where they’re soon found by Grandpa Little [Alvy Moore] and Dinky Little [Robert David Hall], two Littles who quickly recognize Augustus’ true nature.

Henry moves to Augustus' mansion, and Mrs. Evans notes that she cannot stay—Augustus does not want a housekeeper. Augustus pretends to be welcoming in front of Mrs. Evans, but once she’s gone, he drops the mask and treats Henry as if he were a burden, insisting he won’t tolerate any crying as he shepherds the boy to his room. The Littles learn that Augustus is not merely stern but calculating: he intends to replace Henry’s family home with a shopping mall and reshape the property to his own gain.

From pen to paper, the Littles uncover a carefully staged con. Augustus has forged documents to establish himself as Henry’s guardian and to pave the way for the demolition of the Biggs’ property. Henry, initially unaware of who he has found, encounters Grandpa [Alvy Moore] and Dinky [Robert David Hall] in his study and realizes these visitors are more than meets the eye. The villain’s schemes begin to crumble when the Littles reveal the fraud, but Augustus acts fast, locking the two new “toys” in a desk drawer to prevent discovery.

A daring rescue unfolds. Lucy persuades Tom to speak openly to Henry—a bold move given that humans had not known the Littles existed until recently. Henry’s growing trust in his tiny allies becomes the key to unveiling the truth. The two Littles, along with Henry, piece together Augustus’ plan and the evidence of forgery, and Henry orchestrates a diversion that buys time for Tom [Donavan Freberg] and Lucy [Bettina Bush] to slip free and save Grandpa [Alvy Moore] and Dinky [Robert David Hall].

Yet danger remains. Lucy and Tom are soon hungry, and Tom finds himself trapped in a jar of honey, forcing the Littles to shift priorities: they must save Henry before they can rescue Tom. Grandpa resists at first but agrees, recognizing that Henry has begun to trust them in a way that changes everything.

With the stakes higher, the Littles launch a daring escape aboard a gas-powered toy plane. The flight triggers a garage fire that wakes Augustus, who wakes to the upheaval in his meticulously ordered world. Henry tries to reach the police station, but the pursuit ends with him getting lost and captured by his uncle, while the Littles work to stall Augustus long enough for Henry to reach safety.

Augustus, sensing his window closing, orders a demolition crew to tear down the Biggs’ house. When the Littles finally reach Henry’s home again, they split up to tackle the threat from multiple angles: Grandpa searches for Mr. and Mrs. Little, while Lucy, Tom, and the others sabotage the bulldozer. Their plans align in a tense, near-miss moment, allowing Henry to reach a police officer just as Augustus arrives.

The law closes in on Augustus: the officer arrests him for illegal destruction of private property, forgery, and child abuse. Henry is joyfully reunited with Mrs. Evans, and a larger miracle unfolds as his long-lost parents are rediscovered and headed to the airport. Henry shares a knowing wink with the Littles from the gate, a small celebration of the new balance between the human world and the world living just beyond the walls. The Littles, ever-watchful, remain nearby, ready to watch over the boy who now understands that friendship, courage, and a little cleverness can change a life.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:46

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Plot questions answered

Here Come the Littles Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Here Come the Littles (1985): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Uncle Augustus become Henry's legal guardian?

Augustus forged documents to become Henry's legal guardian. He used this false claim to gain control of the Biggs family property so he could demolish the house and build a shopping mall in its place. The Littles discovered these forged documents while trapped in Augustus's desk drawer.

Foreshadowing: Mrs. Evans mentions Augustus as Henry's guardian immediately after the news about his parents arrives, but his true motives aren't revealed until later.

  • augustus
  • guardian
  • forgery
  • documents
  • property
Q2

How did the Littles end up at Augustus's house?

The Littles stole an apple from Henry's kitchen and also retrieved his lucky rabbit's foot as a prank. When Henry packed his suitcase to move to Augustus's mansion, the two Littles were accidentally carried away inside his luggage. They ended up trapped at Augustus's residence, where they discovered his evil plans.

Foreshadowing: The Littles' mischief with the apple sets their journey in motion, though they don't realize the consequences of their actions until they're already at Augustus's house.

  • littles
  • apple
  • suitcase
  • augustus house
Q3

What was Augustus planning to do with Henry's house?

Augustus intended to demolish the Biggs family home to build a shopping mall. He forged legal documents to become Henry's guardian specifically so he could seize control of the property and redevelop it for his own financial gain.

Foreshadowing: The Littles learn of Augustus's plan after finding the forged documents, which reveals his scheme to steal the property.

  • augustus
  • shopping mall
  • demolition
  • property
  • house
Q4

How did the Littles escape from Augustus's desk drawer?

After Grandpa and Dinky were locked in the desk drawer, Lucy persuaded Tom to speak with Henry, a risky move since humans didn't know the Littles existed. Henry created a diversion that allowed Tom and Lucy to rescue Grandpa and Dinky from the drawer, breaking them free.

Foreshadowing: The Littles realize they've found allies when Henry doesn't scream upon seeing them, showing his trustworthy nature.

  • escape
  • drawer
  • henry
  • diversion
  • rescue
Q5

How did Henry's parents end up being rediscovered?

While the main confrontation with Augustus took place, Grandpa Little searched for Henry's parents. The Littles successfully located them, and they were found alive and heading to the airport. Henry was reunited with them at the airport at the end of the movie.

Foreshadowing: The search for Henry's parents becomes one of the two missions the Littles undertake during the climactic destruction attempt.

  • parents
  • found
  • airport
  • reunion
  • grandpa
Q6

Why did Lucy convince Tom to talk to Henry?

Lucy persuaded Tom to reveal themselves to Henry because they needed his help to expose Augustus's crimes. Speaking to a human was a bold risk since no one knew the Littles existed, but they needed an ally inside the house to stop Augustus from destroying the property and harming Henry.

Foreshadowing: The Littles have been secretly helping Henry since the beginning, returning his rabbit's foot and snatching the apple, showing their good intentions.

  • lucy
  • tom
  • henry
  • trust
  • reveal
Q7

What happened to Augustus at the end of the movie?

Augustus was arrested by the police for illegal destruction of private property, forgery, and child abuse. He called a demolition crew to tear down the Biggs' house, but the Littles sabotaged the bulldozer and Henry reached a police officer in time. Augustus was taken into custody as he arrived at the property.

Foreshadowing: Augustus grows increasingly desperate and aggressive as his plans unravel, finally ordering the demolition in a last-ditch effort to seize the property.

  • augustus
  • arrested
  • police
  • forgery
  • child abuse
Q8

How did the Littles save the house from demolition?

The Littles split up during the climax: Grandpa searched for Henry's parents while Lucy, Tom, and the others sabotaged the bulldozer. Their coordinated efforts succeeded just in time, the demolition was stopped and Henry reached a police officer to expose Augustus's crimes.

Foreshadowing: The Littles' earlier discovery of the forgery gave them the evidence needed to expose Augustus, but stopping the physical destruction required direct action.

  • bulldozer
  • demolition
  • sabotage
  • littles
  • house
Q9

Why did Tom get trapped in a jar of honey?

Tom became trapped in a jar of honey while the Littles were trying to escape from Augustus's house. This incident forced the Littles to shift their priorities, they needed to free Henry first before they could rescue Tom from the sticky situation.

Foreshadowing: The honey trap creates a moment of tension that demonstrates the Littles' loyalty to each other and to Henry.

  • tom
  • honey
  • trapped
  • escape
Q10

How did the Littles' escape cause a garage fire?

The Littles escaped aboard a gas-powered toy plane, but the flight triggered a garage fire that woke Augustus. The chaos from the fire allowed Henry to attempt reaching the police, though he was ultimately caught by his uncle amid the confusion.

Foreshadowing: The Littles' daring plane escape shows their resourcefulness but also creates the chaotic sequence of events that leads to Henry's capture.

  • plane
  • garage
  • fire
  • escape
  • chaos

Movie threads

More Movies Like Here Come the Littles, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Here Come the Littles tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Hidden World Adventures like in Here Come the Littles

Discover tiny societies and magical realms hidden just out of sight. If you enjoyed the secret society of the Littles, explore more movies like Here Come the Littles that feature tiny worlds and magical realms hidden in plain sight. These family-friendly films share a whimsical tone, adventures with miniature heroes, and heartwarming stories of unlikely friendships and teamwork.

  • whimsical
  • adventurous
  • imaginative
  • family-friendly
  • heartwarming
  • hopeful
  • Tone: whimsical, adventurous, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, event-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with the discovery of a hidden society by an outsider, often a child. This leads to an alliance where the small heroes use their unique perspective and abilities to help the human protagonist overcome a significant threat, such as a greedy antagonist, resulting in a triumphant and happy resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core premise of a concealed world, a tone of wonder and whimsy, and a focus on collaborative problem-solving between different-sized allies. They deliver a specific kind of hopeful, imaginative adventure that feels cohesive and comforting.

Movies where Kids Outsmart Villains like in Here Come the Littles

Young heroes use wit and friendship to overcome adult corruption. Fans of Henry and the Littles outwitting Uncle Augustus will enjoy these similar stories of clever children defeating greedy adults. Discover more movies like Here Come the Littles featuring young protagonists on a mission to save their home or family using teamwork, ingenuity, and a little help from unexpected friends.

  • resourceful
  • heartwarming
  • adventurous
  • family-friendly
  • teamwork
  • hopeful
  • Tone: hopeful, heartwarming, adventurous
  • Pacing: steady, focused on the mission
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot revolves around a child protagonist confronting an adult antagonist motivated by greed or power, who poses a direct threat to the child's home or family. The child, feeling powerless alone, forms a team—often including found family or magical allies—to gather evidence and cleverly expose the villain's plot, leading to their downfall and a restoration of safety and happiness.

Why they belong together: These films are united by a specific narrative pattern: the child-versus-greedy-adult conflict, the theme of resourcefulness triumphing over authority, and a heartwarming tone that balances light peril with a ultimately positive and empowering message for young audiences.

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Every angle

Here Come the Littles (1985) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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